to the Archevêché whither they were followed by the Pope, during whose procession the anthem _Tu es Petrus_ was sung. CHAPTER VII THE ROMAN RITE OF THE CORONATION OF A KING I The Roman rite of the coronation of kings is based on the imperial rite, but at the same time owes much to the various national rites which had been in existence some time before the genesis of the Roman. The earliest known Roman rite of the coronation of a king is that contained in the Ordo Romanus of Hittorp[104], and is probably of the tenth or eleventh century. It begins with the preliminary prayer _Omn. semp. Deus qui famulum_ and the responsory _Ecce mitto angelum_ and the prayer _Deus qui scis humanum genus_ as the king enters the church. This is all purely Roman. The order begins with the prayer _Omn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque_, which is first found here, after which is said the Litany, another Roman feature. The oath is put to the king in interrogatory form, _Vis sanctam fidem_, etc., _Vis sanctis ecclesiis_, etc., _Vis regnum_, etc., and the king answers _Volo_. The people are then asked whether they will accept the king, and they answer _Fiat, fiat_. The consecration of the king is preceded by a benediction, _Benedic Domine hunc regem_, and two alternative forms of consecration are given. (1) _Omn. aeterne Deus creator omnium_, which is found in the rite by which Louis II was crowned in 877, and after this is said by another bishop _Deus inenarrabilis_, after which the king is anointed on head, breast, shoulders, and bends of arms with the form _Ungo te in regem de oleo sanctificato in nomine_, etc., and finally on the hands, _Unguantur manus_. Then is said _Prospice Omnipotens_, which appears in the earliest form of the imperial rite and in the Milanese rite of the ninth century[105]. (2) The alternative consecration consists of the prayers _Deus qui es iustorum gloria_, a Roman prayer, and _Sursum corda_, _Preface_, and the _Deus creator omnium_ of the first alternative. The investitures follow; the Sword with the form _Accipe gladium per manus episcoporum_; the Ring with the form _Accipe regiae dignitatis anulum_, both these forms occurring here for the first time; the Verge with the form, found in all orders but that of ‘Egbert,’ _Accipe virgam virtutis_; and lastly the Crown with the form, here first occurring, _Accipe coronam regni_. The three benedictions which follow the investitures, _Benedicat tibi_, _Clerum ac populum_, and _Quatenus divinis_, also appear for the first time in this order. After the responsory _Desiderium animae_ the king is enthroned with the _Sta et retine_, which is found with variations in all orders except that of ‘Egbert,’ the metropolitan gives the king the kiss of peace, and finally _Te Deum_ is sung.